Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The Foot of the Cross

This past Sunday, my husband and I had the opportunity to spend some time with a couple we met in recent years. We haven’t really gotten to know them well; we have spent time with them on possibly half a dozen occasions throughout these past few years.

For the sake of their privacy, I will call them Jan and Doug.
Jan was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. Doug related to us that Jan’s cancer was incurable, and it appeared she had little time left on this earth.

While we relayed to him that we would certainly pray for both of them that left us both with little comfort. You see, Jan and Doug don’t know Jesus. As much as we could be confident that the Lord would hear our prayers, we also knew that probably didn’t mean much to either of them, except for a rather commonplace way for a Christian to conclude an unnerving conversation.

On Sunday, meeting up with them brought its own challenges. This time Jan had her head covered with a bandana. She has completed her first series of chemo.

She was very pale.

She shared with me that Doug has to administer a needle into her stomach every night; a task he finds very distasteful.

She then showed me the bruising.

Jan has always shown herself to be a strong and confident woman.
On Sunday, for the first time, I saw fear in her eyes.

Jan addressed the possibility of imminent death.

“I don’t want to die yet.” Tears filled her eyes as she relayed brief accounts of those who had passed away from cancer following surgery.

Jan’s surgery is scheduled for two weeks from today.
The “old wives tale” says once the air hits the cancer, it spreads throughout the body, leaving its victim helpless. Although doctors have established her fear to be unfounded, she still holds onto her fear of….”what if.”

I wonder how many of us would conduct ourselves differently?

But I have a fear as well.

I have a fear that she will pass from this life not knowing or having accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior.

Would you pray for me?

Would you pray that the Lord would open that door wide? That I would be given the opportunity to show her how much she is loved? How Jesus longs for her to come to Him, and leave her worries and her fears at the foot of the cross?  

I will also continue with my prayer.

“Lord, I ask that you be working on their hearts. Draw them close to you, Lord. Help them to recognize you; to sense that it is you speaking to them. Help me Lord to speak the right words. None of us know when we will draw our final breath; the sooner we come to know you, the sooner we can truly live. I want to know that our friends walk with you; I want to know they have that peace and contentment in the midst of their storm; that they have that assurance, the assurance that comes only from knowing you. Lead me Lord; use me as an instrument to represent you. I ask this in your Holy name. Amen.”

Thank you.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Listen...

Do you ever find it frustrating waiting on God to use you?

I do.

Often.

Sometimes I feel as if God thinks I am not capable; I am not good enough…not ready.
Then, there are other times…the times when I feel He is right.

Times like when I blow it.

These are the times when I feel I will never learn; never change. In those times I am in complete agreement with God.

“You’re right!” I say, “How can I be used by you when my heart is in such poor condition?”

I am angry.

I have failed yet again.

But when I remember the Bible stories, those characters were no different from me.

Sure, some were stronger in areas where I am weaker…but one thing we all have in common are our failures. They may look different, but failure is there consistently.

The failure to glorify God.

So maybe I am not so incapable after all. Maybe I simply am not taking the time to listen to what God may be trying to tell me? Maybe I am so wrapped up in my own agenda, I can’t hear Him?

Maybe I am listening to the wrong voice; that ever familiar voice that gets pleasure from seeing me in an almost constant state of frustration. 


I have a question for you; whose voice are you listening to today?

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Seasons of Prayer

Summertime is a busy season, isn’t it? We all try our best to enjoy being outdoors as much as we possibly can; at least those of us who experience cold winter temperatures do anyway. But the one same struggle remains, no matter the season.

And that is the struggle to spend time daily in the presence of the Lord.

The most important thing I do, and will ever do, to begin my day and to end my day, and sadly, admittedly, it too often takes such great effort to take the time to bother to do it.

Right now! Do it right now!

That is what I hear the Lord prompting me to do. Sit and spend time with me, right now.
But no….I have something I just have to do first.
I tell both Him and myself that it is not a priority over Him. 
It’s just that I absolutely must do this first.
But then, in my doing, I soon forget all about my promise to Him and carry on with my day, ignoring Him entirely.

Shame sets in.

This has happened to me over and over again. I can’t tell you how many times… I don’t want to remember how many times.

But one thing I have to my credit is this; more recently, when I have heard that still small voice, there have been occasions when I have been obedient.
I have obeyed and have come to know the joy, peace, and contentment of beginning each day with Him.

It’s a discipline, isn’t it? No different from that of exercise and diet.
Unless I am willing to allow myself no choice but to do what I know is best for me…I will never restrain myself. I will continue to live my life at random.
After all, it is true that my flesh will never give up its want of control, nor will Satan ever give up either.
So please, have a wonderful day... and remember to begin it with prayer.